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by Paige242
Summary: After twenty years, Wil takes his son to visit Shady Vale. Wil/Mareth. Future Fic.


_A/N This takes place several years about Season 2. Wil and Mareth are married, have taken on the role of king and queen of Aborlon, and have two children. I have not read the books, but I borrowed the names of Wil's children from them. But other than that, there is no connection to the books. I hope this is enjoyable anyway!_

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"Dad, can we at least stop for a little bit? We rode at full speed all night and I'm exhausted!"

Wil Ohmsford pulled on the reigns to slow his horse slightly before turning back to look at his sixteen-year-old son. The boy was right— they had left Arbolon around ten o'clock the previous night and the sun was now beginning to rise above the clouds. It had not been an ideal time to start a journey, and Wil was extremely tired as well, but this was important to him and, unfortunately, they had to be stealthy to avoid upsetting the royal guards. Strictly speaking, neither her nor his son was supposed to leave the palace unaccompanied.

It was one of his least favourite aspects of royal life but he had done his best to accept it over the years. He and Mareth had reluctantly taken on the roles of king and queen of Aborlon nearly two decades ago and, while royal life had many advantages, it had also meant giving up certain freedoms.

Thankfully, there were ways to get around the system.

"We're almost there, Jair." He replied with an encouraging smile. "I can almost see the valley from here."

The boy let out a tired sigh. "I wish you'd at least tell me where we are going." He muttered, nudging his horse forward to catch up with his father. "I don't recognize anything here." He paused, a hint of worry crossing his face. "Are we even in elven territory anymore? Those houses we passed earlier looked rather unusual."

The older man gave a quiet laugh. He had barely noticed the houses, and they had not struck him as odd. Then again, he had not grown up and price of the elves within the walls of Aborlon.

"Those were human houses. And this—" Wil said, surveying their wooded surroundings. "Is human territory."

Some of the colour instantly drained from the boy's face and he gave his father a baffled look.

"Human territory!?" Jair repeated, the worry apparent in his voice. "Without any guards? But…that's not safe." He paused. "Does mom know?"

Wil chuckled again.

"Yes, she knows. She's told the court that we're both down with a flu, and will create an illusion to please the guards if she has to." The man replied. "We both agreed that it was time for you to make this trip. It's important. And it wouldn't be the same if we arrived with an entourage. I want us to blend in. To see what life is really like."

Jair let out a deep breath, still unconvinced. "Blend in?" He asked, an eyebrow raised. "Have you looked in a mirror lately, dad? You can't pass for human. And my ears are even bigger than yours! We can't just ride into a human town—we'd be driven out in seconds. Or worse. Most of them hate elves, what are they going to do to us if they find out who we are?"

Wil's high sprits suddenly dampened and he tried not to let a frown tug at his face. Although he had lived with elves for more than half his life now, and had found more acceptance in Aborlon then he ever had elsewhere, he had never forgotten where he came from. Nor had he forgotten his human mother. The fact that his son was so worried about going to a place that still felt like home to him made Wil feel as if he had failed in some way. Despite their best efforts, the boy had led a sheltered life within the palace. Of course Jair had met, and gotten along with, people from all the races before—in fact, one of his best friends was Lyria and Eretria's son, the human prince of Leah. But there was a difference between interacting with other royals and going out into the real world. Apparently, the thought of real human interaction filled him with fear and Wil could only hope that this little trip would broaden his horizons.

It was high time that he experienced another type of life.

"Don't worry, son." Wil stated reassuringly. "I know this place. And I'm prepared."

The man rustled around in his bag for a moment before pulling out two woolly items and tossing one back to Jair. The teenager looked down at the simple grey hat. His worry and skepticism were still apparent.

"Put that on." He instructed as he pulled his own cap over his own distinctly elven ears. "We'll keep our ears covered. If that doesn't work, we'll say we're elven traders on our way to market and get out quickly. It'll be okay. I promise."

Jair nodded reluctantly before putting on his cap as well. "I can't believe mom agreed to this. This is crazy." He muttered. Wil smiled and was about to respond when the sight of something in the distance caused him to pause.

He pulled his horse to stop and signalled for his son to do the same.

He could see it now, and he sight caused an unexpected jolt of pain in his chest.

They were still several miles away, but the pattern of houses and the tiny town square were unmistakeable, even from here.

There was no doubt in his mind that they had finally arrived in Shady Vale.

The place that had once been his home.

He paused, taking in the overwhelming sight. Wil had not been back since his uncle had died. He felt guilty for that, but everything after that fateful adventure had happened to fast. Once things had finally settled down, it had been too difficult to return. He had become part of an entirely different world. Mareth had rescued him from the brink of death, and they had gone to Aborlon to find the elven kingdom in disarray. The court had accepted them surprisingly well, despite their human connections, and they had taken on royal duties as co-regents. The Elessedil and the Shannara, king and queen of the elves. It was a role he had never wanted or expected, and there were days that he was still shocked by his lot in life. He had grown up in a tiny cottage in a poor human village—now, he was surrounded by servants and guards who bowed in his presence. He still found that bizarre most of the time and the palace had never fully felt like his home.

Then again, he mused as he looked towards the settlement he had once known so well, this wasn't truly his home either. His uncle and mother were long gone. His house had been razed by the Crimson all those years ago. And, he thought grimly, he had never really been accepted there anyway. Apparently, he was elven enough for the elves—but he would never been human enough for Shady Vale.

Wil reached up to ensure that his hat was secure. It had been years since he had covered himself like this and he suddenly felt like the insecure boy who had once wandered the lanes below. Briefly, he wondered if his son was right—maybe this was a bad idea. But he quickly tried to rid himself of the thought.

He needed his son to see this place.

He needed his son to see where he had come from.

"We made it." Wil said quietly, looking towards the boy. "Welcome to Shady Vale."

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The first priority had been sleep.

Wil and Jair had ridden to the tavern on the edge of town and Wil had paid for a room upstairs. The place was shabby, and smelled slightly of stale ale, but they had both been too tired to care before collapsing into the two musty beds. Jair had seemed a bit put out when they awoke a few hours later but, so far, he had not complained. It was, obviously, not the sort of accommodation he was used to—he was a good-natured boy who rarely raised a fuss, but he was also the crown prince of Aborlon. Wil hadn't been sure how he would take it all but it seemed that he was cautiously embracing the adventure.

Jair hadn't said much and seemed intrigued by his surroundings, although the slight nervousness had not left the boys face as they began to wander the town. He stuck close to his father's side and kept his voice low as he spoke, as if even that might give him away.

"You can relax a bit, Jair." Wil urged as they made their way down the cobblestone street that led away from the tavern. There were still a few hours of daylight left, and Wil was hoping to show his son as much of the town as possible. Although he knew that Mereth would be able to cover for them well, they had agreed that this should be a short trip and they would need to leave by mid-afternoon the following day.

"No one is looking at us." Wil pointed out as Jair looked around warily. "It's chilly out. Hats aren't unusual."

The boy nodded, but still looked unconvinced.

"I just…I've never seen so many humans in one place." He pointed out, his voice a very quiet whisper.

Wil tried not to sigh. Although this did not phase him, he understood that it was a new experience for the boy and, like it or not, Jair had been raised in a very different place. Wil and Mereth had both talked openly about their human connections, but the elf-human rivalry was not an uncommon topic of conversation in Aborlon. On an official level, the connections between the two races had become firm during recent years (thanks, largely, to the strong friendship they maintained with their close friends, the queens of Leah). But on the ground, for everyday elves and humans, old prejudices died hard.

It would take more than royal alliances to change the "us vs. them" attitude that both sides held.

"You don't need to be afraid of humans." Wil pointed out after glancing around to ensure that no one was in ear shot. "They don't bite. And don't forget, your mother and I are both half-human. Which means you are too."

Jair nodded as he nervously adjusted his cap. "I know that. And you know I don't have anything against humans. But this doesn't feel like our world. The elves are our people. Aborlon is home."

The two paused as they reached the centre of the town square and Wil stayed silent as he watched his son look around.

There were about fifty people out and about on that fall afternoon. Mothers and children playing, old couples strolling, young people relaxing in the last glimmers of warmth. He could see Jair's eyes drift towards a group of five teenagers who appeared to be around his age—they were laughing and smiling as they lounged near the stone fountain.

After a moment, the boy looked back towards his father.

"How was it, growing up here?" He asked curiously. "Did you have a lot of friends?"

Wil let out a sigh as he sat down on a nearby stone at the edge of the square. He glanced towards the teenagers once more and he knew that he, like his son, would never have been able to join in their fun.

Although it filled him with mixed emotions to hear his son describe Arbolon as "home," he knew that the boy had been lucky to find easy acceptance there. He had many friends and, as far as Wil knew, had never been the target of any bullying. Sure, there were some elves who remained un happy about the "tainted" nature of the royal family, but most were not bothered by it. Both he and Mereth had impressive enough pedigrees to made them undisputed claimants to the throne. And Jair, much to the approval of many, seemed to inherit mostly elven genes from his parents. His ears were nearly indistinguishable from a full-blooded elf.

"I wish I could say it was fine, but that would be a lie." Wil admitted as his son took a seat next to him. "My mother was not a prejudiced woman, and she sent me to the local school, thinking I would be fine."

Jair listened, his eyes wide as he tried to picture his father in a human school house. Wil realized that it was probably an odd thought for the boy—in his eyes, Wil had only ever been an elven king. He had accepted his role by the time his son had come along and Jair could only picture his father as a proud elf with gold capped ears.

But that wasn't all that he was. That was not how his life had begun. Wil was glad they were there to challenge that perception.

"So…it wasn't fine then?" The boy pressed, snapping Wil away from his thoughts.

He nodded. "You know what this world is like, despite our best efforts to reconcile the races." Wil noted with a sad smile. "Humans have always seen elves as invaders, and blamed us for taking their lands. I didn't know about any of that as a child, but others always took out their anger on me." The man paused, thinking about all the times he had run from his tormentors.

Most of his schoolmates had avoided him like the plague, and even his teachers had been sure to make cutting remarks about how "his kind" had ruined everything.

He had never relaxed and laughed with a group of peers in the town square.

He had never been accepted.

And he was glad his son had never experienced such hatred and loneliness.

"Aside from my father, who was barely around, I didn't meet another elf until I was twenty." He continued, amused by the sudden look of shock on his son's face.

"Twenty?" The boy repeated, his mouth agape. Clearly, he found it hard to picture such a life.

Wil nodded. "That was when your grandfather found me, and told me I was a Shannara and took me to Aborlon. Until then, I lived in a small cottage with my mother and uncle. They never made me feel different—but they also couldn't protect me from everyone." He paused. "I didn't have friends growing up. And I still have the scars from the scuffles I was dragged into."

Jair still looked awed. "That must have been terrible." He noted, glancing at the group of teenagers once more. He was probably thinking of himself in the same situation, Wil mused- it would have been no different for him if he had grown up here. The boy hesitated. "But then…" He began reluctantly. "Why don't you hate them? Why would you even want to come back here after what they did to you?"

The man smiled sadly. "Because," he began, "these hills are still my first home. And I don't really blame anyone for what they did—they were children influenced by centuries of hatred. More than anything, it made me want to change things, to make people on all sides see that we don't have to hate each other. I'm still driven by that desire, and I hope that one day you will be too." Wil paused. "Humans aren't evil or naturally cruel. And neither are elves. They just need to understand each other."

His son nodded thoughtfully.

"Let's keep walking." Wil continued, standing up from his spot, there is another place I want you to see.

Silently, Jair followed suit and they took off together down another stony path.

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"It's so…"

"Dilapidated?" Wil finished as he watched his son walk around the half-destroyed building. "It wasn't always this bad." He added. "These walls were knocked in when the Crimson came looking for me. Your mother and I came here to rescue my uncle from the rubble and, as far as I know, no one has come back here since."

"Still," Jair began. "I knew you grew up on a farm, but I didn't quite picture this. It's tiny!"

This time, Wil laughed. While Jair was fairly well grounded for a prince, there was no doubt that this was a foreign world to him. His private chambers were at least four times the size of the place that Wil had once shared with his entire family.

"That's how most people in the four lands live. You know that." Wil pointed out as he took a cautious step into the rubble. "I do wish it was in better shape, though. You'll have to take my word for it, but it was a cozy place at one time."

Unfortunately, after two decades, the Ohmsford house had fallen into a very sorry state. As Wil had explained, no one had kept it up after his uncle had gone, and there had been structural damage ever since the Crimson had attacked. Most of what had once been inside had been swept away by the elements but, as Wil made his way through the wreckage he caught glimpses of a few things that filled him with painful nostalgia.

A weathered shoe that he recognized as his uncles, a shard of a mirror that had once hung near the door, the old shovel that they had used to bring in the harvest…

He felt a lump in his throat as a flash of green caught his eye.

Pushing aside a decaying wooden bean, Wil reached down to pick up a brightly coloured amulet that his mother had once worn. It had been one of her favourites and he could recall the twinkle in her eyes as she had put it on. She had received it from his father and she had always said that it reminded her of the happier times.

"What's that?" Jair asked as he watched his father pick up the item and dust it off.

Wil took a moment to push back his swelling emotions.

"A necklace. It belonged to your grandmother."

The boy nodded as he leaned in for a closer look. "It looks elven." He said, pointing towards the delicate metalwork that surrounded the green stone.

"My father gave it to her. So probably." Wil agreed. He hadn't known anything about elven craftsmanship when he had last seen the item but he now knew that his son was correct. He wondered, briefly, where Shea had gotten it—maybe it had an even longer family history then he had thought.

"You should give it to Brin." Jair suggested as his father carefully placed the item in his pocket.

The man nodded in agreement as he pictured the amulet around his daughter's neck. While Jair had his mother's dark hair, his little sister looked much more like her father with her long blonde locks and bright eyes. It would suit her perfectly, just as it had suited his mother.

"Brin looks so much like my mother, you know." Wil noted, smiling as he pictured the young girl's face. He knew that Heady would have adored her young clone and he wished that they had been able to meet. She was only eight now, but one day he would bring her here as well. "I took after her too." Wil mused, looking towards what used to be. Towards the place she had once been. "She used to joke that the ears were the only thing I inherited from my father. And I used to wish that wasn't true."

"What do you mean?" Jair asked as he hopped over another old beam and onto the overgrown grass. "You used to wish you'd inherited more from your father?"

Despite himself, Wil laughed. "No, I used to wish that I had her human ears as well."

Jair froze and looked up at his father with a look on confusion on his face.

"Wait. So, you wish you weren't elven at all? You'd rather just be human?"

Wil furrowed his brow. He hadn't expected his son to react so strongly to that statement—he suddenly seemed quite upset and the man was not quite sure why.

"Well, as I child I just wanted to be human." He explained. "You've seen my village now, and you have to understand that no kid wants to feel different. Plus I hardly knew my father, and most of the memories I had of him were not fond ones. I know that wasn't his fault now, but back then I didn't want to be like him at all. I wanted to be normal."

Jair took a small step back as Wil moved forward and crossed his arms across his chest.

"So is that why we're really here, masquerading as humans?" The teen pressed, his eyes narrowing. He was suddenly looking at his father as is he was a stranger and Wil could not ignore the worried knot forming in his gut. He had come here to bond with his son, but it seemed that he had suddenly pushed him away. "Is it because you wish you were one of them? You wish you were here?" The boy paused. "Are we wearing these stupid hats to protect ourselves from humans or is it really because you're ashamed?"

Wil opened his mouth in surprise. "No, of course not." He replied, surprised to hear these unexpected allegations.

"I wanted you to see where I grew up, and I think it's important that you understand how different people live. One day, you will be king, and it will be your job to maintain peace between all the races. That will be easier if you feel a connection to them."

The teen continued to glare and a tense silence fell between the two.

"Were you ashamed of me when I was born?" Jair asked suddenly, catching Wil off guard once more.

He watched as the boy pulled the cap off his head and threw it onto the grass in front of him.

"Were you hoping I'd inherit her ears too? Because clearly I didn't."

"Jair, stop this!" Wil said firmly, still taken aback. "The day you were born was one of the best days of my life. You know that. I have never been prouder. You're misinterpreting what I said. I was talking about how I felt as a child. It's not how I feel now, and it's certainly not how I feel about you!"

"Yeah, sure." The boy muttered, before started to march off in the direction they came. "I don't want to hide, and I don't want to be in a place where I might get attacked for looking like an elf." He stated, looking over his shoulder. "I don't belong here and, like it or not, neither do you, dad."

Wil stood, frozen in place as he watched his son descend down a gentle hill he had often run down as a child.

Everything here still felt so familiar to him. Every tree and slope and stream filled him with memories.

In some ways, this would always be home. And yet, he knew that his son had made at least one fair point, even if it stung him to hear it.

He had never truly belonged.

The sight of his pointy-eared son walking across this terrain seemed to make that strikingly clear. Wil had meant what he said—he was not the least bit ashamed of the boy and loved him more than he had ever loved. But the elven figure looked so odd here. So out of place.

Wil supposed he had looked the same all those years ago. And he always would.

With a sad sigh, the man took one last look at the ruins of the past before picking up his son's cap and taking off after him.

Perhaps this had been a mistake after all.

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"Jair, that's enough." Wil said sternly as he finally caught up with the boy. They were in a wooded area on the edge of town now and night was beginning to fall. "Let's go back to the tavern, get our things, and start off for home."

Although he had hoped that their stay would be a little bit longer, things had not gone as planned and he was disheartened enough to throw in the towel. His son seemed to have taken away a very unfortunate message from this trip and it was probably better to go before things got even worse. Hopefully, they would manage to talk things through on the way home.

Rather than agreeing, the teen angerly glanced down at the woolly cap his father was still holding. It had been about fifteen minutes since their argument, but it did not appear that he had calmed much.

"I'm not putting that on." He stated bluntly as he looked down at the item. "I'm not ashamed, even if you are."

Wil took a deep breath to quell his frustration. "I told you, I'm not ashamed." He began. "It's not about shame, its about keeping a low profile. We don't need to attract any attention."

The boy shrugged defiantly before turning around and continuing his march.

With a sigh, Wil began to follow again but he only made it a few feet before the sound of snapping branches made them both stop in their tracks.

Turning abruptly, Wil squinted through the growing darkness in the direction of the sound. His heart sank as he saw two shadows draw nearer.

Protectively, he moved in front of his son and quickly shoved the cap into the boys' hand. Much to his relief, Jair did not resist this time. He too had seen the figures and his eyes were wide with apprehension as he quickly covered his ears.

Seconds later, two middle-aged men emerged from the brush.

"Well, hello strangers." The taller of the two said, a menacing hint under his cheerful greeting. "It's not often that we find visitors venturing onto these paths. It's usually just the locals who use them."

There was a brief pause.

"Well, my son and I are adventurous types." Wil said, trying to keep his tone light. "It is getting dark, though. If you'd kindly point us in the direction of the tavern we'll be on our way."

Instead of replying, the second man took a step forward, his dark eyes carefully examining Wil. He was slightly stocky, and balding, but he looked strong enough to do some damage.

He also looked familiar...

Wil's mind began to race as he tried to recall where he had seen that face before but he came up blank.

So much time had passed, but he had known that there was still a risk of being recognized here. Hopefully, if his memory was currently failing him, so was this mans.

An odd expression suddenly crossed his face.

"You're not a stranger, are you?" The man remarked, his eyes narrowing.

Wil's stomach sank, and he instantly grabbed Jair's wrist. "We're going." He said urgently as he began to turn away. Unfortunately, he only managed one step before both men grabbed him by the shoulder.

Wil was not a small man, and was in good fighting shape—but he also knew he was no match for these two without a sword. He prayed that he could find a way to diffuse this situation so that they could get safely away. If this trip put his son in danger, he would never forgive himself.

For the first time in ages, he wished that a member of the royal guard was present.

"It IS you, isn't it, Ohmsford?" The man pressed as his friend's eyes widened. "I knew I recognized him, Peri. It's my aunt's boy, the elven abomination."

Wil felt his heart rate increase as the pieces fell into place. He suddenly knew why the man was so familiar—he had only seen him from afar as a child, and they had never spoken, but the man was technically his cousin. His mother had had a brother who had disowned her for marrying an elf, and this was his son. Vic.

From the angry look on his face, it was fairly clear that the man had inherited his father's prejudices and Wil knew from experience that they needed to get away as quickly as possible.

Before Wil could think of what to say or do next, Vic pulled the hat from his head and let out a disgusted snort of disapproval.

"You know that you're not welcome here." He sneered, his eyes drifting towards Jair as his friend, Peri, yanked off his cap too. "And neither is your disgusting elven spawn."

Wil felt a wave of rage course through him as the man insulted his son and it took every ounce of self control not to spit in his ugly face. Unfortunately, he knew that would only make the situation worse.

"Then we're happy to leave." Wil said tensely as Vic dug his fingers even more firmly into his shoulder. "Let us go and we will be on our way."

The man exchanged a look with his companion and let out a laugh.

"Just as stupid and arrogant as I remember." He muttered with a sneer. "Do you honestly think it'll be that easy? I know who you are now, _your majesty_. You and your little prince aren't going anywhere until we get our due."

Wil felt his blood run cold. Of course most people in the four lands knew who the elven king was, even if they had never seen him before. He realized that it had been naïve to think that anyone who recognized him here would not put two and two together.

"Our town was nearly destroyed twenty years ago because those fanatical elves were looking for you. My house was burnt to the ground. Friends lost their lives."

Wil drew a breath. Part of him understood the anger that people must have felt all of those years ago and he hated that he was in any way associated with the monsters who had tried to kill him.

"I am sorry for that, and I helped to destroy the Crimson for all the crimes they committed." He began. "I sent money to all of the villages effected so that they could rebuild."

Vic shoved him roughly into the nearest tree before letting out another dry laugh.

"We didn't want your filthy elven gold." He retorted, his face inches from Wil's. "But you do deserve to be punished for what you did."

Before he could respond, Wil felt a wide fist slam into his stomach and he fell to his knees from the force. He heard Jair rush forward with a shout but Peri shoved him to the ground before he could reach his father's side.

"Jair, no." Wil wheezed as he tried to regain his breath. "Run."

"Dad!" The teen exclaimed. "Dad!" He quickly climbed to his feet but, unfortunately, Peri was at his side again and restrained him before he could take a step. He watched helplessly as the large man produced a rope and wrapped it roughly around his son.

Wil felt himself fill with panic. He had never seen the boy look so afraid, and he knew that he was responsible for this situation. They never should have come here. Not like this.

He had been a fool.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" Wil cried, taking a frantic swing at Vic before the man managed to punch him once again, knocking him back down.

"Don't worry, your majesty, we'll let you go after we get our due."

Wil narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

Vic gave a cruel grin as he glanced between father and son. There was no doubt that he had something in mind.

Something bad.

"As luck would have it, a band of elf hunters happens to be passing through the Vale this weekend." He began, his hand moving down towards he dagger he had in his belt. "Imagine the price we'll fetch when we give them the ears of the king and prince."

"Don't you dare hurt him!" Wil spat, taking another swing as a fresh surge of panic ran through him. This time, he managed to make contact with Vic's shoulder, but Peri was on him before he could manage any more damage.

"Hold him down." Vic instructed his friend and the brute pinned Wil to the ground. He struggled, knowing that he was outmatched.

He watched, helpless, as Vic drew his dagger and brought the blade towards his left ear.

"I wonder what the elves will think of their hero after this." Vic seethed, his eyes full of twisted rage.

Wil felt sick, and his body tensed as he braced himself for his terrible fate. Eyes closed, he felt the cool blade against his ear and then, suddenly…

Nothing.

The two figures that had been holding him down disappeared, and he heard their shouts as he opened his eyes, disoriented. Now free, the man scrambled to his feet to see the two attackers laying in a heap ten metres away and his son standing beside him, breathing heavily.

"I…I…magic." Jair stuttered, looking rather shocked and shaken.

Wil wanted to know more, but he knew that they did not have time. The two men were still shouting and it was only a matter of time before they recovered.

"Follow me." He said, grabbing his sons hand and taking off into the dark woods.

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Father and son did not stop running until they reached their destination.

It was a place Wil had come frequently as a child. A place he knew well.

And he was grateful, as ever, for the secluded spot.

"What is this place?" Jair said, slowly catching his breath as he looked around the greenish cave.

It was just as beautiful as ever, with its glowing water and sparkling lights. Wil felt a comforting relief as he collapsed onto a rock he had sat on countless times before. It was still familiar. And, he hoped, it was still safe.

"This used to be my favourite hiding spot." He explained, gesturing for the boy to come sit next to him. "My father showed it to me when I was a child. He said he used to hide here from bullies, and once he showed it to me, I did to. As far as I know, no one else knows about it." He paused. "Well, except for your mother, that is."

Jair's eyes widened as he wiped sweat from his brow.

"You took mom here?" He asked, surprised.

Wil nodded. "Sort of by accident. But yes. We hid here once too." The man paused, smiling slightly at the memory. "It was only a day after I met her, and it was the day I first realized how amazing she was."

Despite it all, Jair smiled.

"And I guess you take after her even more than we thought." Wil added, his eyebrow raised. "Was that…did you…?"

His mind drifted back to the horrible situation they had just barely escaped. He still wasn't sure what had happened, but he had his suspicions.

"I was just so mad. And scared." Jair began, biting his lip nervously. "I don't know how I did it, but I just felt all of this energy and the next thing I knew they went flying."

Wil nodded, trying to absorb this new information. It wasn't a huge shock and he had often wondered if and when his children would exhibit signs of magic. Mareth was a powerful druid, after all, and he had elven magic in his blood too. It was only a matter of time.

He placed a reassuring hand on his son's back. "You saved me." He said, the pride apparent in his voice. "You're amazing, Jair. And I wouldn't change a single thing about you."

The boy let out a scoff, but Wil could tell that there was no anger behind it this time.

"Would you change anything about yourself?" He asked, his dark eyes locking with his father's blue. "I mean, if those guys had cut off your ears then maybe you could have passed for human and had everything you always wanted. You could have left us and gone off to some human village."

Although there was a hint of seriousness in the question, they both knew how ridiculous that sounded.

"No, I'd have looked like an elf who got caught by elf hunters." He replied, trying not to dwell on the thought. Drawing a deep breath, he placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Jair, I know how it sounded earlier—and maybe now you see what a rough time I had here for being different, and why I used to wish that I wasn't." He paused as the boy nodded. "But now, I wouldn't change a thing. You, your sister, and your mom make me happier than I ever imagined. I am so incredibly proud of you and I am proud to lead our people. I would never turn my back on any of that."

There was a long pause. Jair appeared to be deep in thought and Wil watched as a smile slowly crept across his son's face.

"I know, dad." He said. "I didn't mean what I said earlier. It was just…weird, I guess. Seeing this place. Seeing you here. I started to feel like maybe I didn't know you anymore." The boy paused. "I guess I don't think of you, or mom, or me as human at all. But I get what you were trying to do. I should remember those connections, and I should work to make things better."

Wil wrapped his arm around his son and pulled him in for a tight hug.

"This trip isn't exactly what I imagined, but I'm glad you see it that way. Not all humans are like those guys. You know that. And, in time, maybe those sorts of people will begin to change. One can always hope."

Jair smiled again.

"So." He began, stretching his legs in front of him as he looked into the sparkling water. "Are we going to tell mom that we almost got our ears chopped off, or should we keep that part to ourselves?"

Wil laughed before rustling the boy's dark hair. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'd rather not get myself blasted across the great hall by an angry druid."

"Agreed." Jair replied, chuckling. "I think we should keep that part between us."

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"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Wil was nearly knocked over as his eight-year-old daughter came barrelling down the hall and leapt into his arms.

It had been a long, but thankfully uneventful, journey home and he was happy to be greeted by the rest of his family in their private chambers.

After giving Brin a tight hug, he leaned over for a quick kiss from his wife, ignoring his son's playful sound of disgust at his parents' affection.

They had come in a secret entrance that, as far as he knew, no one else was aware of and it seemed that their absence had gone unnoticed by their staff. They had passed a few guards on their way to this wing of the palace, and had one had remarked that he was "glad to see that they were feeling better."

The ruse had, apparently, worked.

"How was the trip?" Mareth asked after giving Jair a warm hug.

"Did you see daddy's old house?" Brin asked her brother excitedly. "Did you meet lots and lots of humans?"

Mareth let out a sigh. "She was asking so many questions, I decided just to tell her where you had gone." She explained, amused by the girl's enthusiasm.

Wil laughed. Brin was a persistent and enthusiastic child. He probably would have done the same.

"Yes and yes." Jair replied, smiling at his sister. "We'll take you too one day."

The girl grinned and Wil hoped that he would be able to make good on that promise. They could probably do it, he mused, with a little bit of backup this time.

"But, for now, I brought you back something special." Wil said, crouching down in front of his daughter and pulling the small green amulet out of his pocket.

"This." He said as he pulled it over her head. "Used to belong to your grandmother. I want you to be very careful with it, okay?"

Brin beamed and she looked down at the beautiful item and she nodded seriously, clearly understanding how precious it was.

And indeed, it was precious. But not nearly as precious as the people who surrounded him right now.

The necklace was a fragment of the past. A past that had formed him, but was no longer the centre of his world.

This place, and the three people in front of him, were what truly mattered.

He looked towards his son and smiled.

Wil had finally arrived.

He was home.

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A/N Let me know what you think! I might write more futurefics if there is interest.


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